Two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine

Abstract

A two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine comprises a plurality of cylinders ( 500, 502 ) each cylinder having a piston ( 504, 510 ), a piston rod ( 506, 512 ), and a steam chamber ( 508, 514 ), the piston rods connected for synchronous movement such that each piston is reciprocally moveable between an expanded position and a collapsed position. Admission of steam at 3–5 p.s.i. above atmospheric pressure into the steam chambers ( 508, 514 ) is controlled by steam valves ( 522, 524 ) and exposure of the steam chambers to a vacuum is controlled by vacuum valves ( 548, 550 ). Steam is supplied to the steam chambers ( 24, 38 ) through a boiler 520 , a solar power source, or an alternative fuel of choice. An auxiliary vacuum tank ( 572 ) may be isolated from a primary vacuum tank ( 554 ) to replenish the vacuum in a condensate collector tank ( 560 ) after removal of condensate. Auxiliary vacuum pumps ( 614, 616 ), driven by power from cylinders ( 500, 502 ), replenish the vacuum in the auxiliary vacuum tank ( 572 ) leaving the main vacuum pump ( 570 ) to support the primary vacuum tank ( 554 ).

1. A two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine comprising:
 a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having a steam chamber and a piston bounding said steam chamber, said piston moveable between an expanded position and a collapsed position, 
 a power stroke defined by movement of said piston from said expanded position to said collapsed position, 
 a steam intake stroke defined by movement of said piston from said collapsed position to said expanded position, 
 a vacuum, 
 a first plurality of valves controlling exposure of said steam chamber to said vacuum during said power stroke, 
 a second plurality of valves controlling admission of steam into said steam chamber during said steam intake stroke, 
 said plurality of pistons connected for synchronous movement, and 
 said power stroke in one of said plurality of cylinders driving movement of said pistons in the other of said plurality of cylinders. 
 
   
   
     2. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one vertical heat exchanger in controlled communication with said steam chamber of each of said plurality of cylinders, said at least one vertical heat exchanger in communication with said vacuum. 
 
   
   
     3. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 2  wherein:
 said vertical heat exchanger having a horizontal width and a vertical dimension greater than said width. 
 
   
   
     4. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 3  wherein:
 at least one vertical heat exchanger is in proximate disposition to each of said plurality of cylinders. 
 
   
   
     5. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 3  further comprising:
 at least one cooling pipe for circulating cooling fluid, said at least one cooling pipe disposed in said at least one vertical heat exchanger. 
 
   
   
     6. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a horizontal heat exchanger having a first port for communication with said at least one vertical heat exchanger and with said plurality of cylinders and a second port for communication with said vacuum. 
 
   
   
     7. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 2  wherein:
 said at least one vertical heat exchanger comprises a plurality of vertical heat exchangers. 
 
   
   
     8. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a condensate collector tank in controlled communication with said plurality of cylinders. 
 
   
   
     9. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a condensate collector tank in communication with said at least one vertical heat exchanger, said condensate collector tank disposed below said vertical heat exchanger. 
 
   
   
     10. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a condensate drain pipe depending from said at least one vertical heat exchanger and extending to said condensate collector tank, and 
 a vacuum connector pipe having a horizontal leg and an inverted U-shaped section, said horizontal leg having a first end connected to said condensate drain pipe and a second end connected to said U-shaped section, said U-shaped section in communication with said vacuum. 
 
   
   
     11. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 10  further comprising:
 said vacuum comprising a vacuum tank, and 
 a horizontal heat exchanger in communication with said vacuum tank, said U-shaped section of said vacuum connector pipe connected to said horizontal heat exchanger. 
 
   
   
     12. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 9  further comprising:
 said condensate collector tank having a first side, a second side, an interior surface and a piston, said piston moveable longitudinally between a first position adjacent said first side and a second position adjacent said second side, movement of said piston between said first and second positions sweeping said interior surface for removal of condensate. 
 
   
   
     13. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 12  further comprising:
 said piston bounding a first volume adjacent said first side and a second volume adjacent said second side, 
 a first collector control valve controlling communication between said first volume and said at least one vertical heat exchanger, 
 a second collector control valve controlling communication between said second volume and said at least one vertical heat exchanger, 
 a first expeller valve in communication with said first volume of said condensate collector tank, 
 a first air valve in communication with said first expeller valve, said first air valve controlling exposure of said first expeller valve to ambient air, 
 a second expeller valve in communication with said second volume of said condensate collector tank, 
 a second air valve in communication with said second expeller valve, said second air valve controlling exposure of said second expeller valve to ambient air. 
 
   
   
     14. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said vacuum comprising a vacuum tank, said vacuum tank having and interior and a injector for introducing water into said interior. 
 
   
   
     15. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 1  further comprising:
 each of said plurality of cylinders having an interior volume, 
 an auxiliary vacuum tank, 
 at least one auxiliary vacuum pump, said auxiliary vacuum pump having a vacuum pump cylinder and a vacuum pump piston, said vacuum pump cylinder having an interior volume substantially smaller than the combined interior volume of all of said plurality of cylinders, said vacuum pump piston movable longitudinally in said vacuum pump cylinder between a first position and a second position, said vacuum pump piston connected to said plurality of pistons for synchronous movement, and 
 a check valve in communication with said at least one auxiliary vacuum pump and with said auxiliary vacuum tank, said check valve preventing exposure of said auxiliary vacuum tank to air from said at least one auxiliary vacuum pump. 
 
   
   
     16. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a condensate collector tank in controlled communication with said plurality of cylinders, said auxiliary vacuum tank in communication with said condensate collector tank. 
 
   
   
     17. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a vacuum pump, 
 a vacuum tank in communication with said plurality of cylinders and with said vacuum pump, 
 a condensate collector tank in communication with said plurality of cylinders and with said vacuum tank, 
 an auxiliary vacuum tank in communication with said vacuum pump, with said vacuum tank, and with said condensate collector tank, 
 at least one auxiliary vacuum pump driven by movement of said pistons, said at least one auxiliary vacuum pump in communication with said auxiliary vacuum tank, and 
 a third plurality of valves for isolating said vacuum tank from said auxiliary vacuum tank and from said condensate collector tank. 
 
   
   
     18. A two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine comprising:
 a plurality of cylinders, each of said plurality of cylinders having an interior volume, each cylinder having a steam chamber and a piston bounding said steam chamber, said piston moveable between an expanded position and a collapsed position, 
 a power stroke defined by movement of said piston from said expanded position to said collapsed position, 
 a steam intake stroke defined by movement of said piston from said collapsed position to said expanded position, 
 a primary vacuum tank, 
 a first plurality of valves controlling exposure of said steam chamber to said primary vacuum tank during said power stroke, 
 a second plurality of valves controlling admission of steam into said steam chamber during said steam intake stroke, 
 said plurality of pistons connected for synchronous movement, 
 said power stroke in one of said plurality of cylinders driving movement of said pistons in the other of said plurality of cylinders, 
 a condensate collector tank in communication with and disposed below said plurality of cylinders, 
 an auxiliary vacuum tank, 
 at least one auxiliary vacuum pump, said auxiliary vacuum pump having an auxiliary vacuum pump cylinder and an auxiliary vacuum pump piston, said vacuum pump cylinder having an interior volume substantially smaller than the combined interior volume of all of said plurality of cylinders, said auxiliary vacuum pump piston movable longitudinally in said vacuum pump cylinder between a first position and a second position, said auxiliary vacuum pump piston connected to said plurality of pistons for synchronous movement, and 
 a check valve in communication with said at least one auxiliary vacuum pump and with said auxiliary vacuum tank, said check valve preventing exposure of said auxiliary vacuum tank to air from said at least one auxiliary vacuum pump. 
 
   
   
     19. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 18  further comprising:
 said plurality of cylinders including a first cylinder having a first piston and a second cylinder having a second piston, 
 a first piston rod attached to said first piston, 
 a second piston rod attached to said second piston, and 
 a coupler connecting said first and second pistons in linear relation. 
 
   
   
     20. The two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine of  claim 19  further comprising:
 said at least one auxiliary vacuum pump including a first auxiliary vacuum pump and a second auxiliary pump, said first auxiliary vacuum pump including a first auxiliary vacuum pump cylinder, a first auxiliary vacuum pump piston and a first auxiliary vacuum pump piston rod connected to said first auxiliary vacuum pump piston, said second auxiliary vacuum pump including a second auxiliary vacuum pump cylinder, a second auxiliary vacuum pump piston and a second auxiliary vacuum pump piston rod connected to said second auxiliary vacuum pump piston, said first and second auxiliary vacuum pump pistons connected in linear relation and connected to said coupler. 
 
   
   
     21. A method for removing condensate from a two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine, the steam-to-vacuum engine of the type having a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having a steam chamber and a piston bounding said steam chamber, the piston moveable between an expanded position and a collapsed position, a power stroke defined by movement of the piston from the expanded position to the collapsed position, a steam intake stroke defined by movement of the piston from the collapsed position to the expanded position, a vacuum, a first plurality of valves controlling exposure of the steam chamber to the vacuum during the power stroke, a second plurality of valves controlling admission of steam into the steam chamber during the steam intake stroke, the plurality of pistons connected for synchronous movement, and the power stroke in one of the plurality of cylinders driving movement of the pistons in the other of said plurality of cylinders, the method comprising:
 sealing a volume in a condensate collector tank against communication with the vacuum, 
 exposing said volume to a holding chamber, 
 collapsing said volume, 
 moving condensate in said volume into said holding chamber, 
 sealing said holding chamber from said volume, 
 exposing said holding chamber to ambient air, 
 expelling condensate from said holding chamber, 
 sealing said holding chamber from ambient air, 
 exposing said holding chamber to said volume, and 
 exposing said volume to the vacuum. 
 
   
   
     22. A method for removing condensate from a two stroke steam-to-vacuum engine, the steam-to-vacuum engine of the type having a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having a steam chamber and a piston bounding said steam chamber, the piston moveable between an expanded position and a collapsed position, a power stroke defined by movement of the piston from the expanded position to the collapsed position, a steam intake stroke defined by movement of the piston from the collapsed position to the expanded position, a vacuum, a first plurality of valves controlling exposure of the steam chamber to the vacuum during the power stroke, a second plurality of valves controlling admission of steam into the steam chamber during the steam intake stroke, the plurality of pistons connected for synchronous movement, and the power stroke in one of the plurality of cylinders driving movement of the pistons in the other of said plurality of cylinders, the method comprising:
 sealing a first volume in a condensate collector tank against communication with the vacuum, said first volume bounded by an interior surface of said condensate collector tank and a piston, 
 exposing said first volume to a holding chamber, 
 sealing a second volume in said condensate collector tank against communication with the vacuum, said second volume bounded by said interior surface and said piston, 
 exposing said second volume to ambient air, 
 expanding said second volume and simultaneously collapsing said first volume, 
 moving condensate in said first volume into said holding chamber, 
 sealing said holding chamber from said first volume, 
 exposing said holding chamber to ambient air, 
 expelling said condensate from said holding chamber; 
 sealing said holding chamber from ambient air, 
 sealing said second volume from ambient air, 
 exposing said holding chamber to said first volume, 
 exposing said first volume to the vacuum, and 
 exposing said second volume to the vacuum.